Mets Trade Myers to Cincinnati for Franco : Winter meetings: Deal involves a swap of left-handed relief pitchers; Indians to sign Hernandez.

Convinced that the numbers in his salary were more important to Cincinnati Red owner Marge Schott than his pitching statistics, John Franco welcomed the trade that sent him to the New York Mets Wednesday for Randy Myers, a swap of two of the National League’s best left-handed relievers.

The teams also exchanged minor leaguers: 25-year-old right-handed pitcher Kip Gross went to Cincinnati and 22-year-old outfielder Don Brown went to New York.

Franco, who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and lives there during the off-season, said he had heard reports that he might be traded to the New York Yankees and was pleasantly surprised to hear he had been dealt to the Mets. He said he had no malice toward his former club, but warned Schott and the Reds that “if they lose (Eric) Davis, I think the town would be ready to lynch her. . . . She’s going to have to dip down into her wallet.”

Myers was the second link to the Mets’ 1986 World Series championship team to be lost Wednesday. Free-agent first baseman Keith Hernandez said he had told the Cleveland Indians that he would sign today. Hernandez will be receiving a reported two-year contract worth in excess of $3 million.

Franco, who has a career record of 42-30 with 148 saves and a 2.49 earned-run average in 393 games, said he hoped to sign a long-term deal with the Mets.

“What it really comes down to is money. I don’t think (Schott) wanted to pay me the going rate,” said Franco, who had an NL-leading 39 saves in 1988 but slumped in 1989 to a 4-8 record with 32 saves and a 3.12 ERA in 60 games.

Franco, 29, earned $1,067,500 last season compared with $300,000 for Myers, 27. Both are eligible for arbitration next year; the Reds would have had to sign Franco to a long-term contract to keep him.

Red General Manager Bob Quinn said finances and free agency were not factors in the trade.

“We had the hardest-throwing right-handed reliever in Rob Dibble, and now we have the hardest-throwing left-handed reliever in Randy Myers,” Quinn said.

Myers was 7-4 with a 2.35 ERA and 24 saves in 65 games with the Mets last season. He recorded 88 strikeouts in 84 1/3 innings. He is 17-13 lifetime with 56 saves and an 2.74 in 185 games.